Saturday, January 29, 2011

Squad Symbol; Black Lightning bolt on a Blood Orange Field.
Symbol dates from the founding engagement of the 5th Company just after it came to full strength in M36. The company took the lightning bolt as its symbol after it became known as the “Bolts” after their Captain famously cleaved an Eldar Warlock in two as he sped past on his jet bike, leaving a corpse that looked like it had been split by a bolt of lightning.

The 3rd Tactical Squad is currently led by Sergeant Miksa and Squad Leader Grato. Miksa received his appointment to the tactical squad after his performance in a cleansing action at a fallen Imperial Shrine on Huxtor II. Sergeant Miksa was one of the first to enter the Shrine and then assault marine was exposed to acidic stealer spittle which melted his helmet and left him with burns that have seared his face and neck and destroyed his larynx. The rage and grief that overwhelmed the Sergeant was so great he began to cry tears of blood but even injured it was Brother Miksa who successfully along with Brother Janlein and Brother Gaius that managed to fight there way to the nave of the shrine and held out for over 4 hours until other forces arrived. It is recorded that over 300 stealers were slain by the three marines and when found they had run dry of ammunition and their blades were bent and dulled from use.

Miksa now speaks only in a strangled whisper, his breathing regulated by a cybernetic implant. His squad has become accustomed to watching their sergeant closely who prefers to communicate through hand signals. The squad is one of the few Lamenters units all equipped with MVII helmets so that Miksa can effectively communicate without having to raise his voice. He still uses the same chainsword he was issued with as a young assault marine and he has named the weapon lovingly “Whisper” in a mocking reference of how loud the weapon is once activated.

Note the changed Heraldry on the Sgt and two marines.

The squad however harbors a secret known to nobody outside of the Chapter Senior Calix and Chapter Reclusiarch. Miksa and his two remaining brothers are the first since the resurgence of the Red Thirst to encounter what the Chapter leaders believe to be the Lamenter’s grief personified.

During the action as the Assualt Squad entered the shrine, a silver figure appeared dressed in baroque armor painted silver with ebon and white chequers displayed proudly, his cowled face hidden from view. The figure stopped only to bless Miksa who’s grief and hate were the only things keeping the injured Sergeant standing before the figure started his righteous slaughter of the Stealers. Miksa and his squad never saw what became of the figure and could only follow his trail of destruction toward the nave of the Shirne, where he and his squad fought valiantly to cleanse it of the foul Xenos taint.

Sergeant Miksa

When relieved only the three brother marines remained to tell the stunned Chaplain who led the relief force that they had been honoured to fight alongside a hero of the Sepulchery Guard (The Lamenters version of the Sanguinary Guard). When the Chaplain said such a thing was impossible as the Sepulchery Guard were light years away an immediate search began for the figure, yet no trace could be found.

Although all three brothers were tested by the most stringent tests both psychic and physical, it appeared they had been telling the truth. After many weeks of discussion and debate the Chapter Reclusiarch and the Chapter Calix summoned the three marines and told them they had been granted a great honour. The three marines were given their own heraldry to replace the wounded heart of Sanguinus upon their shoulders and sworn to secrecy never to reveal or discuss what happened at the Shrine.

All three brothers were transfered to the 5th Company to replace battle losses and promoted to full Tactical Marine status. Sergeant Miksa took the leadership of the 3rd Squad.

Fernec has been a Veteran Sergeant now for over 110 years. He has risen steadily through the ranks before taking his position from its former holder sometime during the Badab War. Fernec is an enigma amongst his brethren; he has seen action in a thousand war zones across hundreds of worlds and has participated in over 200 drop pod assault missions. Each of these actions he has proven time and time again to be a dependable leader and stood for 2 years as beveret Captain of the Company until the appointment of Captain Konstantin in 958.M41

The Veteran Sergeant is a champion of Codex Astrates. He follows it as strictly to its letter as possible. If circumstances had been different, Fernec would be a senior member of the Chaplaincy or a Captain in his own right if he had been recruited into a more Codex adherent chapter.

The men under Fernec’s command are kitted out in perfect Codex tactical gear and formation for any mission. The Missile Launcher and Flamer the weapons of the Standard Approach Tactical Squad from the Codex. Fernec himself is armed with the standard Bolt Pistol and Chainsword, the traditional weapons of the Tactical Sergeant and on his backpack sits a “Bronze Eagle” to show his position as Veteran Sergeant. At his waist on a length of Admantium chain hangs his “Crux Termiantus” rewarded to Fernec after spending 25 years as a member of the 1st Company before his promotion to Veteran Sergeant. As a former beveret Captain Fernec also wears a white loincloth to show the honor. On his chest plate a “Bronze Skull” sits proudly marking 100 years service to his Chapter. Fernec allows little Sanguinary decoration within his squad. His belief that the scions of Sanguinus are capable or resisting the Red Thirst when they apply themselves wholly to the Codex Astrates.

The squad itself contains examples of several different armour types, each member of the 1st Squad is a veteran in his own right, Fernec gets the pick of the entire Company for recruitment and most of the older Lamenters gravitate toward the Sergeant and it is a 5th Company honour to be selected to serve in the 1st Squad.

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Brother Antonius now numbers amongst the oldest Lamenters still serving the Chapter by the time of the events of Malvolion and the Chapters almost subsequent destruction. Antonius's personal history is now lost, destroyed with countless other chapter records in the relentless assaults of the Minotuars chapter upon the Chapter Battle Barge at the Battle of Operta. Antonius is a silent brooding individual who goes about his duty with cold calculated detachment. In battle his monotone voice rings out across the field encouraging his brothers to stand firm, to recognize the power of the blood in their veins and to not falter in the face of adversity. In essence he calms his battle brothers with a coldness allowing them to unemotionally continue their work, shrug off the most deadly of wounds until they have completed their appointed task and finished the mission.

Ultramarine records however indicate a young apothecary named Antonius mentioned in dispatches during the Corinth Campaign where he was singled out for retrieving gene seed from fallen brothers under heavy fire from Ork emplacements. Whether or not this is the same Antonius is unknown.

What records now exists since the Badab War indicate Antonius is a tireless warrior who continues to work upon making his battle brothers effective in battle, he suffers the same melancholy that each of his brothers suffers, but has channeled it into an unfeeling remorseless approach to his work, the ends always justifying the means. This has led him to clash several times with Chaplain Anastasius over the loss of "Humanity" and the Lamenters current spiritual and moral direction. Antonius believes that only through removing emotion can the Lamenters successfully control the red thirst, whereas Anastasius sees this as the loss of "Humanity".

Antonius is armed with "Andris" a power sword of antiquity that has been handed down through the ranks of the Calix and was presented as a gift from the Blood Angels just after the Chapters founding. The blade has never broken or dulled and is always wielded by a senior Sanguinary Priest.

His silver armor is typical for all members of the Calix, after they have served in the Honor Guards of the Chapter and the Sanguinary Guard, his left shoulder pad in bronze depicts his honor of having been one of the few Lamenters that has been awarded Terminator Honors. Terminator Armor being so rare within the Lamenters Chapter, this is a rare honor afforded to only the most senior and trusted members of the Lamenters.

His right shoulder pad depicts the Imperial Gold Eagle emblazoned with the apothecary symbol, an honor conferred after the Corinth Campaign in which he recovered over 100 gene seed Zygotes.

On his left leg appears the "Golden Laurel" awarded to him after he was the last member of Captain Gergo's honor guard remaining to rally the 5th Company after a disastrous drop pod assault on an unknown Ork stronghold in 698.M41. Antonius recovered the 5th Companies standard and managed to rally and inspire the remaining 14 battle brothers of 80 who had descended to capture the stronghold and hold until reinforcements arrived. For this deed, he was promoted to full member of the Calix and took his place as full Sanguinary Priest.

His chest eagle is also unquie having been awarded the "Red Heart of Baal" in 799.M41 for this actions in saving 42 battle brothers who had been thought lost due to vacuum exposure during a hull breach of the strike cruiser "Truimphant Voluntar".

His mark VII armor is also adorned with a chequer pattern right knee pad, to show his chapter, his left knee pad remains white, the color of the Apothecarium.

Antonius has a strange banner, eschewing the normal policy of depicting the campaigns he has fought in, he has chosen to keep his heraldry plain and unadorned, the white background of the Apothecary only broken by the single red heart, the symbol of the Calix Priesthood.

Senior Calix Antonius. Assigned to 5th Company as of 999.M41Armament; "Andris" Power Sword. Bolt Pistol. Krak and Frag Genades. Narthecium.

Sunday, January 9, 2011

I had decided to go with the deathwatch having a Rhino to zoom about in.

I have also decided to add some extra's to it. I found these from Scribor Mins. They are ok... but I am rather puzzled by the fact they dont sit perfectly in the centre of a rhino top hatch or why they made them too large to fit on the door panel of the rhino. If they had I would be reccomending them.

I am thinking of doing one in bronze and adding it to the central top hatch of the Rhino. However it will have to sit flush over the door opening section. Although this is not a problem it may look a bit werid to begin with. The panel also is too large for the rear door to sit on nicely either... which I should have measured first... hmmmmm

The rhino is basic black, so I can use it for the Arbites, Stormtroopers or even transport for the Inq and his retinue to just give it more use on the field. I used the word Lament just so that it has some tie in with the rest of the force.

Rhino "Lament". Formerly of the 9th Company Imperial Fists. This Rhino was tithed to the Ordo Xenos in 722.M41 upon orders of Captain Ithica of the Imperial Fists after being aided in a cleansing mission of the Space Hulk "Clarions Call" by elements of the Deathwatch and Inquisitor Draco Flintloque. Current whereabouts unknown.